Oakland, California – The diocese of Oakland, California, announced today in the wake of a shocking survey by the Pew Research Center that 70 percent of American believers are ignorant of the reality of Jesus’ active presence in the Eucharist. Bishop Michael Barber SJ stated that as a bishop, this finding was shocking and that in response, the Diocesan Eucharistic Congress was being held at Christ the Light Cathedral in Auckland on June 19-20.
In his letter to the believers, he said that the main theme of the annual catechetical convention in August was the actual presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. The Bishop says that the Eucharistic Congress calls for the Eucharist to think about the importance of our lives, and to ensure that we, like the disciples who go to Emmaus, are a people who have been cared for and formed by the Eucharist. His aim is not only to increase faith in the Eucharist. Bishop Michael stated that he also has the goal of inspiring clergy, religious teachers, directors and youth leaders through Congress.
The first day of the two-day conference is exclusively for clergy. In addition to spiritual discussions, the bishop’s sermon and prayer with the youth, worship will be held at the church until 11 pm. On June 20, Masses will be held in English and Spanish, with Holy Communion and the Eucharistic Mass in the street adjacent to the Cathedral. The International Eucharistic Congress will be held in Budapest, Hungary, in September this year, with the same aim of Bishop Michael Barber. The week-long conference will be attended by dignitaries such as Polish Bishop Stanislaw Gadecki, Hungarian Cardinal Peter Erdo, and Syrian Greek Catholic Patriarch Youssef Absi.
